This is a private guided tour report by Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.), a network of 1,000+ government-licensed, English-speaking local guides across all 47 prefectures of Japan. Not affiliated with the Japan Guide Association.
Tour Itinerary
- 10:00 Meet up @Westin Tokyo
- 10:20 Ebisu Station
- 10:45 Harajuku Station
- Meiji Shrine
- 11:50 Takeshita Street
- 12:20 Meiji-Jingumae Station
- 12:35 Otemachi Station
- 12:40 East Gardens
- 13:40 Wadakura Park
- 14:00 Disband @Tokyo Station
Tour Itinerary in Detail
The tour started at 10:00 at @Westin Tokyo and ended at 14:00. The day ran to 4 hours from start to finish.
Over the course of the day the route took in Ebisu Station at 10:20, Harajuku Station at 10:45, Takeshita Street at 11:50, Meiji-Jingumae Station at 12:20, Otemachi Station at 12:35, East Gardens at 12:40 and Wadakura Park at 13:40.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Ebisu Station to Harajuku Station by train (150JPY); Meiji-Jingumae to Otemachi Station by subway (210JPY). Across 2 sections the fare came to 360JPY per person.
Title: What Is a Private Walking Tour of Tokyo Like? A Licensed Guide's Report on Meiji Shrine, Takeshita Street, and the Imperial Palace East Gardens
The guests were visitors from North America. Since there had been no contact from the guests until the day before, I was a little concerned about the itinerary, but we confirmed my proposed plan at the meeting point and started the tour. At Meiji Shrine, preparations for the New Year were steadily underway, so I talked about how it differs from the usual atmosphere and about the mindset Japanese people have toward the New Year. On Takeshita Street, the guests enjoyed a completely opposite, pop-culture world and savored some crepes.
After that, we headed to the East Gardens. There were relatively few tourists, so we were able to stroll slowly through the quiet grounds. During the tour, I learned that the guests planned to travel to Kyoto on Saturday but had not yet purchased Shinkansen tickets. Since it was the homecoming season, I recommended buying them early, so we extended the tour a little and I helped out at Tokyo Station. With few seats remaining, the departure times ended up split, but we managed to secure tickets, and we parted ways there.
Click here for more details: Tokyo Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide
Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Train | Ebisu Station～Harajuku Station | 150JPY |
| Section 2 | Subway | Meiji-Jingumae～Otemachi Station | 210JPY |
| Total | 360JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does this Tokyo tour start and finish?
The guide met the guests at @Westin Tokyo at 10:00, and the tour finished at @Tokyo Station at 14:00.
How long does the tour last?
About 4 hours in total, from 10:00 to 14:00.
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Ebisu Station, Harajuku Station, Takeshita Street, Meiji-Jingumae Station, Otemachi Station, East Gardens and Wadakura Park.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 360JPY per person across 2 sections. Transport fares are paid by the guests and are not included in the guiding fee.
Is the guide licensed, and what language is the tour in?
Lily is a government-licensed national guide-interpreter of Japan and guided this tour in English. Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.) works with more than 1,000 licensed guides across all 47 prefectures. Not affiliated with the Japan Guide Association.
Can the itinerary be changed for my own trip?
Yes. This report describes one private tour as it actually ran. Every Tokyo itinerary is built around the guests, so the places, the pace and the starting point can all be changed before the tour.
Hi there! Thank you so much for hitting my page!
I’m Yuriko, but please call me Lily!
I’m a qualified guide and interpreter, proud to be awarded as one of the finalists of Japan guide awards 2025.
I have conducted over 100 tours a year since March 2024, with more than 90% of my clients awarding a five-star rating.
I love Japanese food(eating and cooking!), cultures such as traditional arts and crafts, and so much more! I’ve always explored places seeking new things and love to share them with you.
I was born and raised in Tokyo(for over 40 years!) but used to live in the U.S. for a couple of years as a child.
I am proud to be able to introduce the charms of Japan from multiple perspectives based on my experience of interacting with people from many different nationalities.
I am happy to tailor an original plan or to arrange your bucket list advancing it to a better option.
The following is my contact information:
lilyjapanguide@gmail.com
I’m looking forward to guiding and sharing the excitement of Japan!!
Sep 17, 2025
785hongc
Wonderful 6 hour Tokyo tour with Lily in September
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
We had a…
Sep 17, 2025
785hongc
Wonderful 6 hour Tokyo tour with Lily in September
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
We had a wonderful tour with our guide Lily. Lily speaks excellent English and thoughtfully designed our tour itinerary based on our preference on leaning culture and history of Japanese. She brought history and culture information booklets full of historic photos and literature making sure that we understand the content and key historic facts. She also brought us along a Tokyo maps and attraction guide carefully explained how the Tokyo public transportation system along with more attraction recommendations for our planning purpose. Lily introduced us to some lovely authentic Japanese food and artwork shop including an incense shop that we could never found by ourselves. She is extremely knowledgeable and also patiently answering a variety questions that we had and also navigate timing and traffic perfectly. We could not have asked a better guide, thank you Lily!
Sep 16, 2025
H
Hong_C
A wonderful day tour of Tokyo in September
Viator review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Best relaxed educational…
Sep 16, 2025
H
Hong_C
A wonderful day tour of Tokyo in September
Viator review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Best relaxed educational experience about historic Tokyo! Lily is a wonderful guid who had designed a perfect tour itinerary for our 6-hour tour for a hot humid day in September. Her English skill is perfect and she is very thoughtful about introducing Japanese history, cultures, art work and authentic food to us. She is also extremely helpful to explain Tokyo public transportation system to us and provided us step by step instructions on some JR line ticket purchase options to make sure that we could catch a chance to see Mt Fuji on our way to Kyoto. Most amazingly she was also able to locate an incense shop that we could never found it ourselves. Perfect time management too! Perfect tour!
Jul 18, 2025
Venture26940872209
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Lilly was an excellent guide .. lots of communication before the visit…
Jul 18, 2025
Venture26940872209
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Lilly was an excellent guide .. lots of communication before the visit to understand what we
liked .. and then a very enjoyable 4 hours
Highly recommend
Jul 1, 2025
michaellG938KC
Lily is the best. Highly recommended
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Lily is an amazing guide and…
Jul 1, 2025
michaellG938KC
Lily is the best. Highly recommended
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Lily is an amazing guide and her tour was the highlight of our trip. Lily was friendly, knowledgeable, and perfectly tailored the experience to my teenage kids. From trendy boutiques in Shibuya to hidden vintage gems in Harajuku, every stop felt special. They helped with translations, provided helpful advice and made the whole day fun and stress-free. My daughters found pieces we never would’ve discovered on my own at vintage thrift stores. Highly recommend for anyone who loves fashion and wants a local’s guide!